Friendly Village - Christmas in the Suspended Village of Vitorchiano
The Christmas village in the Suspended Village of Tuscia, featuring markets, nativity scenes, and the Grinch's House
About Friendly Village Vitorchiano
Christmas in the Suspended Village of Tuscia
Every year, between early December and Epiphany, Vitorchiano — the evocative Suspended Village perched on a peperino cliff in the province of Viterbo, in the heart of the Lazio Tuscia region — dresses up for the holidays with the Friendly Village. It is not just a simple Christmas market, but a true widespread calendar of events involving the entire historic center: lights, nativity scenes, music, shows, charity initiatives, and children's attractions enliven the alleys and squares for an entire month. The initiative is promoted by the Municipality of Vitorchiano in collaboration with numerous local associations and has been documented since at least 2018, when it was established with the support of the Lazio Regional Council.
A village that becomes a Christmas village
The heart of the atmosphere is the Christmas tree in Piazza Roma, whose lighting — along with the lights throughout the village — officially opens the festivities, accompanied by the parade of the Fedeli di Vitorchiano Marching Band and majorettes. The Christmas markets are located in Largo Gugliemi and along the historic center, featuring stalls with handicrafts and local products. Two attractions are most loved by families: Santa's House, set up in the monumental complex of Sant'Agnese, and the Grinch's House, designed to entertain visitors of all ages with the naughtiest of Christmas characters.
Nativity scenes and Christmas in Art
The tradition of nativity scenes in the village is one of the hallmarks of the Friendly Village: associations, citizens, and students set up artistic representations every year in the most characteristic corners of the town. In the 2025-2026 edition, the nativity scene inspired by Raphael Sanzio's Adoration of the Magi, created by students of the Don Lorenzo Milani middle school, was particularly striking. Alongside the nativity scenes, the Natale in Arte 2.0 trail transforms the historic center and the Sant'Agnese complex into an open-air museum-theater, featuring art installations such as those by Francisco Cordoba.
Events, music, and solidarity
The Friendly Village calendar alternates events for all tastes: the Santa Claus Run (reaching its sixth edition in 2025), the 'Night of Monologues' with the In...Stabile theater company, book presentations, a Subbuteo tournament, the awarding of municipal scholarships, concerts, and musical entertainment with Almamousiké. The solidarity dimension is also strong, with the involvement of AVIS, Caritas, and Apurimac, as well as the hot snack offered by the San Michele Arcangelo Committee and the logistical support of the Pro Loco Vitorchiano.
Closing with the Magi and the Befana
The Friendly Village concludes on January 6, the day of Epiphany, with the arrival of the Three Wise Men and the Befana, a moment that draws residents and visitors from all over Tuscia and nearby northern Lazio to the village. As the municipal administration emphasized at the end of the 2025-2026 edition, "seeing Vitorchiano so alive and united is the most beautiful gift": a month of emotions, tradition, creativity, and community that makes Christmas in the Suspended Village one of the most authentic Christmas experiences in the province of Viterbo and the entire Lazio Region.
Friendly Village Vitorchiano — edition 2026
Friendly Village 2025-2026: a month of Christmas in the Suspended Village
The 2025-2026 edition opened on Saturday, December 6, with the markets in Largo Gugliemi from 10:00 AM, the afternoon opening of the Grinch's House, and, at sunset, the parade of the marching band with the lighting of the festive lights and the Christmas tree in Piazza Roma, followed by the arrival of Santa Claus with a hot snack offered by the San Michele Arcangelo Committee and a visit to his house in the Sant'Agnese complex.
The calendar continued with the Night of Monologues (December 14), the awarding of scholarships (December 19), and the sixth edition of the Santa Claus Run (December 20), as well as book presentations, a Subbuteo tournament, and solidarity initiatives with AVIS, Caritas, and Apurimac. Great emphasis was placed on art with the village nativity scenes — including the Adoration of the Magi inspired by Raphael created by students of the Don Lorenzo Milani school — the installations by Francisco Cordoba, and the 'Natale in Arte 2.0' museum trail. The closing on January 6 with the arrival of the Three Wise Men and the Befana crowned an edition defined by the administration as "a month of emotions, tradition, creativity, and solidarity."
Programme Friendly Village Vitorchiano 2026
- Saturday, December 6 - 10:00 AM opening of markets in Largo Gugliemi; 2:00 PM opening of the Grinch's House; at sunset parade of the Fedeli di Vitorchiano Marching Band, lighting of the festive lights and the Piazza Roma tree, arrival of Santa Claus with a hot snack and opening of his house at the Sant'Agnese complex
- Sunday, December 14 - Night of Monologues with the In...Stabile company
- Friday, December 19 - awarding of municipal scholarships
- Saturday, December 20 - Santa Claus Run, sixth edition
- Throughout the period - artistic nativity scenes in the village, 'Natale in Arte 2.0' museum trail between the historic center and Sant'Agnese, installations by Francisco Cordoba, book presentations, Subbuteo tournament, musical entertainment with Almamousiké, solidarity initiatives with AVIS, Caritas, and Apurimac
- Tuesday, January 6 - Epiphany with the arrival of the Three Wise Men and the Befana
Highlights Friendly Village Vitorchiano 2026
- Santa's House in the Sant'Agnese complex
- Grinch's House for children and families
- Christmas markets in Largo Gugliemi
- Nativity scene of the Adoration of the Magi inspired by Raphael, work of students from the Don Lorenzo Milani school
- 'Natale in Arte 2.0' museum trail in the historic center
- Sixth edition of the Santa Claus Run
- Arrival of the Three Wise Men and the Befana for Epiphany
Prices Friendly Village Vitorchiano 2026
Practical information — Friendly Village Vitorchiano
How to get there
Vitorchiano is located about 8 km from Viterbo, in northern Lazio. By car: from the A1 motorway, take the Orte exit, then the Orte-Viterbo expressway with the exit for Vitorchiano; it takes about 15 minutes from Viterbo. By bus: Cotral connections from the city of Viterbo. Parking is available near the village, which is best explored on foot.
Admission and hours
Admission to the Friendly Village is free. The main attractions (Santa's House, Grinch's House, markets) are active mainly on weekends and holidays; the inauguration is held on the first Saturday with the opening of the markets from 10:00 AM and the lighting of the festive lights at sunset.
Contacts
Email: [email protected] — Tel. +39 334 6623669. Updates on the Municipality of Vitorchiano's channels.
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Where does it take place — Friendly Village Vitorchiano
Centro storico di Vitorchiano (Borgo Sospeso)
Piazza Roma, 01030 Vitorchiano